The England World Cup 2026 campaign threatened to end in the round of 32 on Wednesday, July 1, when they trailed DR Congo for almost 75 minutes, but a Harry Kane brace won the match for them, causing debates about whether Kane’s performance in the England vs DR Congo match was his best ever in an international match.
However, Thomas Tuchel’s side showed that they have enough resilience. The England World Cup 2026 campaign will be seriously tested in the match against Mexico in the round of 16, but there was a new dimension to their game in the England vs DR Congo match.
England World Cup 2026 Hopes Were Reignited by Their Aerial Prowess
The England World Cup 2026 hopes lived on, largely because of their direct play and tendency to repeatedly play crosses into the box.
Against a resolute DR Congo defence, the Three Lions sent in one aerial ball after another, with Kane and Jude Bellingham regularly present inside the penalty box to meet them.
England did not try to play the short-passing game. Instead, whenever they had the ball, they tried to make it count by playing crosses and long through passes to the centre-forward. England’s first goal came when Kane headed in from Anthony Gordon’s delivery from the left, and the second goal was a result of a delectable through pass from inside their own half.
Kane’s wonderful ability to finish was always there, but the fact that Bellingham had two clear opportunities to score with headers and was only denied by Mpasi, the Congo goalkeeper, pointed out the effectiveness of England’s strategy.
With a wonderful crosser of the ball like Declan Rice in the team, England will continue to pose a threat with their crosses and also from set-pieces. This is an aspect of their game that Mexico will have to be cautious about.
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Will England Be Able To Go Past Mexico?
The Mexico vs England round of 16 match will be played Sunday, July 5. It is the same day on which Brazil will lock horns with Norway.
Mexico have been in imperious form in the tournament, winning all their four matches so far. Playing at home gives any team a distinct advantage in any major tournament, and Mexico are no exception this regard.
England have the wonderful Harry Kane upfront, but it remains to be seen whether he can bail his team out once again.
Tuchel should also be happy about Djed Spence’s ability to move up and down with great pace and his ability to combine with Noni Madueke. Anthony Gordon’s two assists should also give him a lot of confidence in the match against Mexico, and one should not be surprised if he replaces Marcus Rashford in the starting XI once again.
The England vs DR Congo match has given the Three Lions a lot of confidence, which they will need in great amounts against Mexico.
As of now, Tuchel can breathe a sigh of relief, largely because of his star No.9. The next few days, however, will be for the team to prepare for an even bigger challenge.
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